Lock



Nov. 6, 19287.

' 1,690,818 A. G. HATCH -f LOCK Filed Dec. 4, y192s l INVENTOR 1 www4@MBWWZW@ Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

' PATENT' ALEXANDER G. HATCH, 0E EAIRMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, AssIeNon ToTHE sE-sAMEE Comuni-or zlsizAnTEoan,l CONNECTICUT, AeonronATroN 0ECCNNECTICUT.

Lock.

Apfucauon 111511 December 4', 192s. seran No. 152,536.

This invention relates to improvements in locks. Although intended to beof more orl less general application, the invention is peculiarlyadapted to 'be used as a lock for the drawers of an office desk, theelements of a vertical filing cabinet, and analogous articles.

nism being capable of being rendered effective Y at will as a lockwithout giving further attention to the permutation wheels.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a permutation lock ofwhich the lock-` controlling element may be temporarily held fast in anineffective position during which the remainder of the mechanism may beused as an ordinary latch and rendered eiective or ineffective at willindependently of theuse of the setting elements of the permutationmechanism.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention-,

Figure 1 is a top view of the lock, parts thereof bein illustrated incross-section, the boltwontrolling bar being indicated in its releaseposition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the bolt-controlling bar being indicated inits locking position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lock, the section Vbeingtaken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction indicatedby the arrows.

Fig. 4 1s a transverse sectional view of the lock, the section beingtaken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the directioni'ndicated by the arrows. i

, Fig. 5 is a front view of the lock illustrated in Fig. l, with theface plate removed.

Fig. 6 is a disassembled view in perspective gf the separable parts ofthe bolt-controlling ar. e

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of permutation wheels.

In the form of the invention herein selected for purposes ofillustration it comprises a bolt-controlling bar 20, ala-tch 21 for saidbar, und a permutation mechanism comprising a locking element 22 andsetta-ble elements herein disclosed as permutation wheels 23,l all aponeof the propriately assembled ina mounting 'lele-f ment 24.-

The mounting element may beconstucted of anysuitable material, and: isherein disclosed as comprising a sheet-steelp-late having upturned endportions 25, 26, to .support the ends of the bar 20, and a housing plate27 having downwardly turned portions 28, 29, 30, spaced extendingportions of lwhich'may be -passed through openings provided therefor inthe plate 24 and upset as indicated at 31 (Figs. 3 `and 4), whereby themay be firmly united. v

The downwardly turned wall 30 may be extended beyond Ithe wall 29, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, to form an intermediate support 32 for thebolt controlling bar.

The bar 20 might serve directly asv a bolt or locking member, but in thepreferred form of the invention as used to lock a tier of drawers or anumber of elements of a filing cabinet,'

the various bolts o-r locking members may be controlled in theirmovements by any appropriate operating mechanism, all .dependent uponthe position of a single master element to which the bolt-controllingbar 20 maybe connected inany suitable manner, as by means of aslot 33 inits end and a pin which'may be passed through an opening 34 provided forsuch purpose. The specific means` whereby the loc-king of the parts tobe secured is eifectled constitutes no part of' the present invention,which is confined to the lool: mechanism. In the form herein disclosedit is intended that the ultimate bolts or locking members shall berendered effective when the bar 20 is in the position indicated in Fig.2, herein referred to as its locking position. It is intended that theultima-te bolts or locking members shall be ineffective when the bar 2Ois in the positionindicated in Fi 1,. herein referred to as its releasepositlon.

notwithstanding the lock-operating connecparts of vthe housingI It willbe obvious that the lock mechanism I part of the bar extendingrearwardly fromtion between the slotted art of the bar and the ultimatebolts or loc ing members controlled thereby.

One form of swivel joint adapted for use as a part of this invention, asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a cylindrical portion 36extending from the slotted portion of the bar 2O into a socket 37provided therefor in a the manipulator 35.l Surrounding the slottedportion of the bar 20, and preferably extending slightly beyond the endfrom which the cylindrical projection 36 extends, is a sleeve 38 whichmay be secured to the bar by a crosspin or key 39. This sleeve serves asan abutment for one end of a helical spring 40, which may surround theslotted portion of the bar. This spring may be maintained in a state ofcompression between said abutment and the support 25, thereby normallytending to hold the bar in its release position and to restore it tosuch position when moved therefrom. The sleeve 38 also serves as a stopto arrest the movement of the bar at the end of its movement to itsrelease position.

Separation of the relatively swiveled portions of the bar 2O when inrelease position, as indicated in Fig. 1, may be prevented by a clindrical portion 41, movement of which is limited by the bar support26.

One satisfactory means whereby the bar may be arrested and held fast inits locking position by the latch 21 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawing. It comprises a keeper disclosed as a shoulder 42 at oneextremity of a depression 43 in the bar, said shoulder being so disposedthat when the bar is moved to the position indicated in Fig. 2with itsdepressed portion directed towards the latch, the latch may be movedinto the depression by means of a spring 44, one end of which may besecured to the latch and the other end secured to some ortion of thehousing or othed fixed part o the mounting member.

As clearly illustrated, the latch 21 may be mounted for endwise movementthrough slots provided for such purpose in the walls 28 and 29 of thehousing.-

The contacting portions of the latch and the depressed portion of thebar may be of such form as to serve as a cam mechanism whereby, onrotation of the manipulator 35, the latch 21 may be moved against theeffort 'of its spring, thereby permitting the cylinseen that, if thelocking element 22 is maintained in the position indicated in Fig. 2when the bar and latch are in the relationship indicated in that figure,rotation of the bolt-controlling element will be prevented, thereby`making it impossible to release the bolt-controlling bar from thelatch. As a means whereby the parts of the mechanism may be thus held ina locked relationship, each of the permutation wheels 23 is providedwith a movement-obstructing element cooperating with amovement-obstructing element on the locking element 22, whereby movementof the latter is prevented except when the permutation wheels havebeenset in a predetermined relationship. In the conventional showing hereinused for purposes of illustration, each of the permutation wheels isprovided with an extended hub portion 46 having intermediate its ends anoutwardly extended flange 47 slotted as at 48 (see Figs. 3 and 7 Tocooperate with these flanges 47 the locking element 22 may be providedwith fingers 49 corresponding in number with the permutation wheels usedin the mechanism. Each of the fingers 49 may be so disposed as to lie tothe left of the fiange of one of the permutation wheels when the lockingelement is in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby, unlessthe permutation wheels are so set as to bring the slots 48 of all of thepermutation wheels in alignment with the respective fingers 49, thelocking element will be held fast.

As herein disclosed, the locking element 22 when positioned asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 has one end extended into contact with thebase of the depression 43 in the bar 2() which terminates in the keeper42. The adjacent portions of the bar and locking element when in therelative positions indicated in Fig. 2 are such as to prevent anyrotational movement of the bolt-controlling element comprising themanipulator `and directly connected parts of the bar if endwise movementof the locking element is prevented. This interlocking engagementprevents the release of the bar without first setting the permutationelements in a predetermined relation such as to bring the slots 48 intoalignment with the fingers 49.

To rovide for a release of the bar the permutation wheels 23 are mountedfor rotation about a shaft 50, the ends of which may be mounted in theend walls 28, 29 of the housing.

The periphery of each permutation wheel may be divided up intodifferentiated portions in any appropriate manner, as by the applicationof numerals from zero to nine, as indicated at 51 (Fig. 2), which maybear any desired relationship to the slots 48 in themovement-obstructing flanges. lOn setting lll these wheels in accordancewith a known coin- 4 on the locking element, after which said lockingelement may be freely moved out of its movement-obstructing relationshipwith said bolt controlling element. I i desired, the contacting ortionsof the bolt-controllin element/an the locking element maybe o suchrelative form as to serve as a cammino` device whereby rotation of thebolt-controlling element by the manipulator 35 to release thebolt-controlling bar from the latch 2-1 will also move the lockingelement out of its movement-obstructing relation with the bar.Preferably the cammmg relation between the bolt-v controlling elementand the lockin element will be of such extent as to cause t e fingers 49to be passed completely through the slots 48 in the respectivemovement-obstructing flanges of the permutationv wheels to a positionbetween said flanges andthe setting elements of the wheels, after which,if desired, before permitting forward movement of the bar 2O by thespring 40, the permutation Wheels may be moved out of their set positionso as to prevent a return of the locking element to itsmovement-obstructing relationship with the bolt-controlling element.

If desired, the locking element 22 may be mounted for endwise movementby having its end portions passed through slots provided therefor in theend walls 28, 29 of the housing, and said element may be provided with aspring 52 (Figs. 2 and 3), one end of which may be attached to theelement and the other end attached to the housing or other fixed part ofthe mounting element. This sprin may be so disposed as to normallymainta1n`the locking element 22 in its movement-obstructing relationshipwith the bar 20, and may be capable of restoring said element to suchposition when moved therefrom, if free.

In order that the locking element 22 may be restored to its normalpositionillustrated in Fig. 1, after the bar 2O has been-released fromthe latch and moved-to its release position irrespective of therotational yposition of the manipulator and directlyi connected parts,the bolt-controlling element is provided with a clearance way, hereindisclosed as a groove 53, which permits its free rotation to any desiredposition irrespective of the condition of the permutation mechanism, solong as the bar is in its release position. If 'desired, the portion ofthe bolt-controlling element adjacent the clearance way 53 may begradually reduced by a sloping or chamfered portion 54 whereby thereturn of the locking element 22 by its spring 52, when cammed out ofits movement-obstructing position as a result of a rotational movementof the boltcontrolling bar, may be gradually effected as the bar ismoved forward by the spring 40.

Preferably the chamfer- 54 will be of such inclination and extent as toleave a relatively shallow shoulder 55 such as will obstruct inwardmovement of the bolt-controlling element from the osition indicated inFig. v1 to the `sition indicated in Fig. 2, even when the ocking element22 is free, without first rotating the bolt-controlling element to theposition in which its keeper is 4directed towards the latch 21, whereby,on inward movement of the bolt-controlling element, the latch will besnapped into its locking relation with the bar.

It will be clear from the foregoing description of the invention that,on setting the permutation wheels in accordance with the releasingcombination when the parts of the mechanism are in locking relationshipas indicated in Fig. 2, the bar may be released from the latch by arotational movement of the bolt-controlling element, whereby thecylindrical portion of the bar is moved under v the end of the latch,after which the bar may.

be moved forward by the spring 40. `During the rotational movement ofthe bolt-controlling element the locking element 22 will be movedagainst the opposing effort of its spring until vthe cylindrical portion56 of the bolt-controlling element is forced under the end of thelocking element, and on forward movement ofthe bar this element will begradually moved to normal position by its spring as thechamfered portion54 is moved under the end of the locking element. As soon as the bar hasbeen moved to its release position, and irrespective of the rotationalposition of the bolt-controlling element, the permutation wheels may, ifdesired, be moved out of set relation so as to conceal the combination.The mechanism may be permitted to remain in this condition until it isagain desired to lock the drawers or cabinet elements to which the lockis applied, which may be effected without disturbing the permutationwheels by merely rotating the oit-controlling element until al point isreached at which it can be pressed inwardlyv so as to permit the latchto be snapped into engagement with the keeper.

Should it be desired to temporarily make use o f the mechanism as asimple latch independently of the locking mechanism, this may e readilydone in the following manner. Starting first lwith the mechanism in therelationship indicated in Fig. 2, after setting the permutation wheelsin accordance with the combination and rotating the bolt-controllingelement to release the bar from the latch, the operator may secure thelocking element in an ineffective position with respect to the bar bymoving the permutation wheels out of set relation before permitting themanipulator to be moved forward byr the spring 40. With the mechanism inthis condition the bar may be moved at will into its locking positionand held by the latch, and may at will be released from the latchindependently of the use of the permutation mechanism. When it is aga-indesired to condition the mechanism for operation as a lock, all that isnecessary is to again move the permutation wheels to their set positionso as to ermit the locking element to be moved by its spring to normalposition, after which the permutation wheels may be again moved out oftheir set positions.

In order to facilitate the positioning of the permutation wheels inaccordance with any desired combination, each permutation wheel may, ifdesired, be provided with a spring pawl 57, as indicated in Figs. 3 and5, adapted to be moved into engagement with one of a series of notches58 in the periphery of the wheel, whereby they may be brought to rest inany one of a number of positions, in only one of which the notch 48 willregister with the finger 49. Y

It will be apparent that the simple form of permutation mechanism hereindisclosed for purposes of illustration may be regarded as a conventionalrepresentation of any such mechanism which would be appropriate to servethe intended purpose.

The lock may be secured by suitable fastenin devices to any part of thedesk, cabinet or ot er furniture or article in connection with which itis intended to be used. Preferably Y 'it will be secured to some partwhich is accessible only when the drawers, cabinet elements or otherparts to be locked, have been released by the lock mechanism. The lockmay be provided with a face plate indicated at 59 in Figs. l and 2, or,if used on metal furniture, the face of the part to which the lock is tobe applied may be perforated to receive the manipulator 35 and slottedto receive the permutation wheels 23, and the lock as a whole secured inplace within the structure, using a portion of its enclosure as a faceplate for the lock, as indicated by the broken lines extended from thesurfaee'of the face plate 29, indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form hereindisclosed for purposes of illustration but should be regarded asincluding modifications and variations thereof within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lock comprising a bolt-controlling element oppositely movable froman eifective to an ineiective position, and vice versa, a holding meanswhereby said element may be maintained in its effective position butfrom which it may be detached as a result of a releasing movement ofsaid element difering from its movement towards and away from itseffective position, and a permutation mechanism includingr a lockingelement and a plurality of variably settable elements havingmovement-obstructing portions whereby said locking element may be heldby said settable elements either in a position such as to obstruct suchreleasing movement of said bolt-controlling element or in anon-obstructive osition withrespect thereto, the settable e ements ofsaid permutation mechanism being settable in a predeterminedrelationship such as to permit free movement of said locking elementfrom either of said positions to the other.

v2. A lock, as defined by claim 1 in which the bolt-controlling elementand the locking element have mutually engageable portions so disposedand proportioned as to serve as a cam mechanism, when `saidbolt-controlling element is in its e'ective position in an engagingrelation with said holding means, whereby a releasing movement of saidboltcontrolling element, when said locking element is free, ma be causedto move said locking element rom its position of movenient-obstructingrelationship with said boltcontrolling element to the other of the twopositions in which it may be held fast by the settable elements of thepermutation mechanism.

' movement-obstructing portions whereby said locking element may be heldin either of two positions in one of which it obstructs thelatch-releasing movement of said bolt-controlling element withoutinterfering with its endwise movement, and in the other of which it hasno effect upon the movements of said bolt-controlling element, thesettable elements of said permutation mechanism being settable in apredetermined relation such as to permit said lockingelement to be movedfrom either of its two positions to the other.

4. A lock comprising a bolt-controlling element so mounted that it maybe either rotated or moved endwise when free, a latch by which itsendwise movement may be prevented, an operating connection between saidbolt-controlling element and said latch whereby a rotary movement of theformer will cause it to be released from the latter, and a permutationmechanism by which the rotation of said bolt-controlling element when ina position such that its endwise movement may be'prevented by saidlatch, may be made dependent upon a setting of said mechanism, saidbolt-controlling element latch and permutation mechanism having theirmutually cooperative parts so disposed and proportioned that saidbolt-controlling element, when free, may be moved lim to a position fromwhich neither said latch nor said permutation mechanism is capable ofobstructing either its rotation or its endwise movement.

5. The combination with a bolt-controlling element so mounted as to beboth rotatable and movable endwise from a holding to a release positionand vice versa, when free, said bolt controlling element having alaterally-disposed portion adapted to serve as a keeper, of a latchmovable into engaging relation with said keeper when saidbolt-controlling element is in its holding position with said keeper inits latch-receiving position, thereby preventing a direct return of saidbolt-controlling element to its release position, said element and saidlatch having portions so related as to serve as a cam mechanism wherebysaid latch may be moved out of its engaging relation with said keeper asa result of a rotation of .said bolt-controlling element, therebyreleasing the latter and permitting it to be returned to its releaseposition, and a permutation lock mechanism to control the rotationalmovement of said boltcontrolling element, having independently settabledial wheels.

6. The combination with a rotatable and endwise movable bolt-controllingelement a portion of which has a cylindrical surface concentric with itsaxis of endwise movement and a depression in said cylindrical portionterminating in a shoulder adapted to serve as a keeper, of a latchmovable into en aging relation with said keeper when sai boltcontrollingelement is so positionedas to bring said depression into itslatch-receiving position, the latch end and the base of thelatch-receiving depression being so formed as to serve as a cam devicewhereby on rotation of said bolt-controlling element said latch may bemoved out of said depression and held retracted by said cylindricalsurface, thereby permitting free endwise movement of saidolt-controlling element until said depression is again returned to itslatch-receiving position.

7. A lock comprising a bolt-controlling element so mounted as to berotatable and also movable endwise from a locking position to a releaseposition and vice versa, when free, a latch by which saidbolt-controlling element may be held fast in its locking position, anoperating connection between said bolt-controlling element and saidlatch Whereby a rotary movement of the former will cause it to bereleased from the latter, and a permutation mechanism comprising alocking eled l a ment, capable of being moved to a posltion such as toprevent a latch-releasing rotation of said bolt-controlling elementwithout inter- 1wing with its` endwlse movement, and settable elementshaving movement-obstructing lortions by which said lookin element may eheld fast in its eii'ective posltion, the boltcontrolling element beingprovided with a clearanceway so disposed as to be brought into acooperative relation with the locking element, when the bolt-controllinelement is moved to its release position, It ereby permitting freerotation of said bolt-controlling element when so positioned withoutregard to the position of said locking element.

8. A lock comprising a bolt-controlling element movable from an eectiveto an ineffective position, and vice versa, a spring latch by which itmay be maintained in its effective position, an operating connectionbetween said bolt-controlling element and said latch whereby the formermay be detached from the latter as a result of a releasing movement ofthe former differing from its movement towards andaway from itseffective position, and a permutation mechanism including a lockingelement and a plurality of variably settable elements havingmovement-obstructing portions whereby said locking element may be heldby said settable elements either in a position having a relationshipwith said boltcontrolling element such as to obstruct itslatch-releasing movement only, or in a nonobstructive position withrespect to said boltcontrolling element, the settable elements of saidpermutation mechanism being settable in a predetermined relation such asto permit free movement of said locking element from either kof saidpositions to the other.

9. A lock comprising a bolt-controlling element movable from an eectiveto an ineffective position, and vice versa, a spring latch by which itmay be maintained 1n its effective position, an operating connectionbetween said bolt-controlling element and said latch whereby the formermay be detached from the latter as a result of a releasing movement ofthe former differing from its movement towards and away from itseffective position, and a permutation mechanism by which suchlock-releasing movement of said bolt-controlling element, when in anengaging relation with said latch, may be made dependent upon apredetermined setting of said mechanism, said bolt-controlling element,latch and permutation mechanism having their mutually cooperative partsso formed and proportioned that said bolt-controlling element may befreely moved from its ineffective position to its eiective position inengagement with said latch irrespective of the relative positions of theparts of said permutation mechanism.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

ALEXANDER G. HATCH.

